The Truth Is A Lie
by spwarkle
Summary: Four months of hatred, one night of love and he broke the only promise he had ever made her. Naitlyn. Now a Two-Shot.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello again! This is, I think, the longest oneshot I have ever written. As usual, it's a Naitlyn and yeah, I guess you have to read it to find out if you like it.**

"Morning Cait!" Called Mitchie cheerily, banging hard on Caitlyn's door. Caitlyn grunted in response before rolling over and pulling one of her over stuffed pillows over her head. Mitchie laughed to herself, knowing exactly what was going on. It had happened every morning for the last four months, every morning since the girls had moved in with Connect 3.

It was easy enough to wake everyone else up. Jason was always up at the crack of dawn to watch birds either from the balcony, the flat roof or the back garden, Nate woke himself up to go for a jog at eight each day and Shane would do anything for his fiancée of four months. Shane had proposed to his eighteen year old girlfriend on the day the girls moved in and Mitchie had instantly replied with a yes. They had been planning on holding off on the wedding until Mitchie had finished college but things had changed.

When the girls had moved in it was only for a few weeks, most likely for the summer, until they had chosen an apartment they liked. Two weeks after they had arrived, however, Connect 3 had gone to work determined to give the label a piece of their mind about the music they were singing and come home without a record label. Mitchie had seen the best option immediately and the guys had loved the idea. It was only Caitlyn that took persuading.

So now, three and a half months on, Connect 3 were produced by none other than Caitlyn Gellar. They didn't have to leave the house to record because as soon as their plan had been put into action they had converted one of the many spare rooms downstairs into a recording studio. Caitlyn produced while Mitchie sung all of the backing vocals that would once have been recorded by an up and coming star. Mitchie also recorded several duets and helped to write the material for the band.

The boys enjoyed their job much more now. They weren't being controlled by overpowering record labels, they weren't being forced to sing cookie-cutter-pop-star songs and they were allowed to mess around during the recording because Caitlyn, unlike their old producer, didn't mind if they laughed at each other when they made mistakes. Caitlyn and Mitchie had moved in permanently and cancelled their enrolment at college.

They had a daily routine now. Jason got up as soon as the sun appeared, Nate went out at eight, Mitchie woke at half nine and woke up Shane, bribing him to make breakfast with a few kisses. Then she had to force Caitlyn out of bed, an idea which had once scared her.

Throughout the first month of living with her best friend Mitchie had tried everything she could think of. She had pulled off the covers and then poured cold water on Caitlyn's face; she had pulled Caitlyn herself off of the bed, she had leapt around making loud noises until Caitlyn finally groaned and sat up but then Mitchie had caused herself a headache.

It was entirely by accident that she had found the way to force Caitlyn out of bed almost immediately. She was banging on the door one morning as Nate walked passed with a piece of toast. He asked her what she was doing on after hearing her explanation he promptly grinned to himself and pushed inside. He located the lazy girl under her covers and leant over her head with a smile. She had yet to notice his presence so he raised his voice and yelled right in her ear.

"Morning Caitlyn!" Nate pulled out of the way just in time, narrowly avoiding banging heads with the small girl.

"Nate I am going to kill you!" Nate laughed and left the room hurriedly. Caitlyn knew that she as wide awake now and that there was no point in lying back down as she would not be able to get back to sleep again anyway so she climbed out of bed.

Three things had come out of that morning. First, Nate had discovered that Shane liked to put marmite on his toast and vowed never to eat anything cooked by his older brother again. Secondly, Caitlyn had decided she officially hated Nate, which suited him fine, and last but least, the routine had changed.

Today was the same as any other day. Mitchie had woken up Caitlyn and was waiting for Nate to appear and force her out of bed. Right on cue, just as Caitlyn yelled at her where she could put her early morning energy, Nate strolled around the corner humming a little tune to himself. He grinned at Mitchie before pushing open the door and entering Caitlyn's den. He was the only person brave enough to enter before ten in the morning.

Nate sat down hard on the end of Caitlyn's bed, deliberately crushing her foot in the process.

"How are we today Gellar?" He asked her in the tone a doctor might use when speaking to a patient with mental issues.

"Good until you came and broke my foot." Caitlyn answered him, blinking open her eyes and gesturing to where he was still sitting firmly on her.

"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't see it."

"Fuck off Grey." Caitlyn said sharply. Nate just tutted at her and left the room, knowing from experience that she was awake now. Caitlyn groaned and swung her legs out of the bed and into the fluffy slippers waiting on the floor. She stumbled over t o the door and unhooked her thick dressing gown, shrugging it over her shoulders and then blinking into the mirror.

Caitlyn had eighteen years of practice and knew exactly how to make the mop on the top of her head halfway resemble hair again. Brushes and combs didn't work, none of the so-called detangle sprays worked, the only way to untangle her hair was to get it wet, which was exactly the reason she shoved her head in the sink every morning before she went to breakfast. Nate had once tried to annoy her by locking himself into the bathroom after he had woken her up but Caitlyn had then pointed out that there were four bathrooms in this huge house and he had given up.

Like always, Caitlyn turned on the tap, ran the water and her fingers through her hair and then stood back up, allowing the sopping mass of curls to hang down her back. She rubbed them ferociously with a towel and then left the room, wide awake now.

Shane and Mitchie were alone when she entered the kitchen and they were locked in a passionate kiss.

"Get a room!" She yelled irritably. Shane pulled out of the kiss and narrowed his eyes at her, no longer intimidated by he early morning temper.

"We had one until you barged in."

"I meant one that had a door." Caitlyn gestured to the open arches that lead into the room from either end. "With a lock. And preferably sound proof walls." Shane rolled his eyes and turned back to the bacon he was supposed to be frying. Caitlyn walked passed him with a grin at her best friend and flicked on the coffee machine.

When the boys trailed into the recording studio at eleven, Caitlyn was wide awake. She had showered, pulled on a casual outfit and was happily tapping away at her laptop, adding the finishing touches to yesterdays recording.

"Hey Cait!" Jason said happily, pulling her into a tight hug. Caitlyn was used to this by now and instinctively took a deep breath as he lunged towards her.

"Jase, air _is _kind of essential you know." She reminded him kindly, using up the last of her oxygen. Jason let her go and hurried into the studio where the others were already waiting.

"What're we doing today?" Shane spoke into his microphone and Caitlyn leaned forwards to press the button that activated her own.

"I think we've all but finished them all to be honest. The only one we really need to work on is Introducing Me." Nate raised his eyebrows.

"So all of Shane's solos are fine but the one song I sing on my own isn't quite right?" Caitlyn pretended to consider.

"Yeah pretty much." Nate rolled his eyes and turned around to pick up his acoustic guitar as Shane and Jason cheered.

"So we get the day off?"

"Yup. I'll call you if there's anything else I remember." Shane immediately left, mumbling something about talking to Mitchie. Jason followed soon after, taking a moment to place his guitar down.

"Do we seriously have to do this?" Nate asked. He was uncomfortable about spending so much time alone with Caitlyn. The two hated each other and he knew that they would spend more time arguing than actually recording.

"Yes. You keep starting off too fast and when it comes to speeding up it's impossible to make out the words. Go from the top and if you do it right we could be out of here in an hour."

"It's my song! How can I do it-?"

"Start!" Nate rolled his eyes but began to play the catchy introduction anyway. He hadn't heard from Dana since the summer he had written this, ever since she had admitted that she was only pretending to be interested in him because her Dad wanted Connect 3 to move to his camp. Dana said that she was sorry but she didn't like him in that way at all and then she had left. It had only taken Nate about an hour to figure out that she was only a summer crush and over the past year he had dated plenty of girls without even thinking about Dana.

Caitlyn kept him working on the song for a good half hour before he gave up trying to be nice.

"Can I _please _go now? If I record it any more then I'm going to start hating it!" Mitchie, entering the room with a coffee for her friend, raised her eyebrows. She leant towards the microphone.

"Nice to see you're so dithyrambic about your work Nate."

"So _what_?"

"And they say you're supposed to be the smart one," Caitlyn rolled her eyes again. "It means wildly enthusiastic." Nate placed down his guitar and swung open the door, striding towards Caitlyn to hear the current version of his song. Mitchie chuckled to herself as she left the room, muttering something that sounded like;

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone."

"What?" Nate and Caitlyn both turned to look at her but she was already gone. She missed the blush that the two of them shared.

"Just show me the song!" Nate snapped angrily. Caitlyn rolled her eyes and pressed play. Nate listened to the whole song before he spoke again. "Why did you want me to record it again?"

"Because it was funny watching your face." Caitlyn admitted with a grin. Nate narrowed his eyes at her and left, mumbling something or other.

"That was cruel." Mitchie told her friend. Caitlyn grinned.

"It served him right. He is always teasing me and winding me up, why not waste a few minutes of his precious life?"

"Someone's got a crush!" Mitchie said in a sing song voice.

"I most definitely do _not _have a crush on Nate! And that's the truth" Caitlyn yelled, disgusted. She shuddered at the mere thought. Mitchie just laughed.

"Whatever you say Cait. Whatever you say." And she left the room as well.

The remainder of the day passed without incident. Caitlyn curled up on the sofa in the bright living room and fiddled with her laptop, working on mixes, emailing her friends and watching videos online. Nate avoided her for the most part and they managed to make it to dinner with a record low on 'Naitlyn fights' as Shane and Mitchie had taken to calling them.

It was only when the doorbell rang that Nate and Caitlyn laid eyes on each other again. They both dived for the door, desperate for the pizza that had been ordered half an hour ago. Nate made it first, yanking open the door.

"Pizza delivery," Announced the young boy, not even attempting to sound enthusiastic. Nate held out his hand impatiently and Caitlyn glared at him.

"Thank you for taking the time to come out here," She said politely as the boy handed the five boxes to the irritated pop star. Nate handed over the money and Caitlyn elbowed him. "Give the boy a tip."

"No!"

"Give him a tip Nate!"

"You give him a tip since you're so sure that he should get one."

"I don't have my purse on me!"

"Then don't tell me to give him a tip!"

"Nate just give him a tip!"

Shane and Mitchie could hear their bickering from where they were sat at the far end of the wide hallway and they both hurried towards the front door. Shane handed the boy twice as much as they had already paid for the pizza and then slammed the door shut in his excited face. Caitlyn and Nate were now arguing about whether or not it was rude not to give the boy extra money.

"He came all the way out here to give you your dinner, he deserves something!"

"That's his job! He's paid to deliver my dinner!"

"Not much. Delivery boys are never paid enough. It's not like you're short of money!"

"Shut up!" Roared Shane. Both of them turned to him with startled expressions. "I am sick of you two arguing! Hell, we're all sick of it! You never quit the fighting, you've always got a fault to pick with each other. You've lived and worked together for four months now, get over it already!"

Caitlyn felt hot tears of anger spring to her eyes. Without speaking another word, she grabbed the top box of pizza out of Nate's arms and sprinted up the stairs and to her room. She wasn't even that upset, she just didn't want to cry and have people think she cared. She didn't understand where the tears had come from and she didn't want to give any easy options for Nate to tease her with in the morning.

Caitlyn passed an easy evening watching the movies she had stored under her bed on the flat screen TV that the boys had provided in what had once been a guest room. Mitchie came to check on her around eight but she pretended to be asleep. She wasn't in the mood for talking.

Darkness fell outside and Caitlyn closed the thick curtains before changing into her pyjamas and lying back on the bed with the last piece of pizza which was now cold. She chewed it slowly and then heard a knock at the door.

"Cait I know you're awake, I can hear you chewing."

"You can hear me chewing?" Mitchie laughed and stepped through the door, closing it behind her.

"No, I couldn't hear you chewing but you always eat and it was a sure-fire way of getting a response out of you so I thought I would try it." Caitlyn shrugged and swallowed the last of the pizza as Mitchie clambered onto her bed, crossing her legs.

"So how long have you actually had a crush on Nate?"

"I don't have a crush on Nate!"

"So why do you keep spending time alone with him?"

"Because it annoys him so much! The only time I can talk to him without wanting to punch him is when I'm winding him up!"

"Did you know that fighting is the first sign of love?" If Caitlyn had been drinking she would have spat it all over her friend but she wasn't drinking so she settled for dropping her jaw.

"Where did you get that from?"

"Think about it Cait, it's true. Shane and I met when I told him off for being a jerk, all of the good stories have characters who fight and then fall in love."

"Oh yeah? Name some."

"Hermione and Ron, Bella and Edward, Christopher and Jessica-."

"I got the first one but Bella and Edward didn't fight and who the hell are Christopher and Jessica?"

"Edward ignored Bella, she didn't like him, remember? Christopher and Jessica are from Starstruck. She hated him at first. Then there's Garion and Ce'Nedra."

"Excuse me?"

"You never did read David Eddings did you? It's in the Belgariad, the princess and the boy who didn't know he was a king, they hate each other at first but once they're forced to get married they realise that they are in love and live happily ever after."

"So what's your plan? Are you going to force Nate and I to get married?" Caitlyn shuddered at the thought and Mitchie looked curiously excited.

"That's not a bad idea actually…"

"Mitchie! Don't you dare! I do not like Nate, not at all. I promise you that is true, I don't like Nate, especially not in that way." Mitchie shrugged and clambered off of the bed.

"Okay then. I'm going to bed. See you in the morning!" She reached the door and was about to leave when she turned. "I forgot to tell you; there's going to be a thunderstorm tonight." Then she left, closing the door softly behind her as Caitlyn began to groan.

She had an irrational fear of thunderstorms. She always had, for as long as she could remember. Nothing had happened to her, she hadn't had a bad experience and nor hand anybody she knew but ever since she was born she had cowered at the sight of lightning and she was no closer to getting over it. Mitchie knew this and for some unknown reason she was choosing to taunt Caitlyn with her fear instead of help her overcome it.

Now that she knew a storm was on its way, Caitlyn had no hope of sleeping. She curled up under her covers and flicked through the channels on the TV until she found a channel showing Lilo and Stitch. It was a childish movie but it wasn't something that would frighten her if it was on while the thunder roared.

The movie was only just beginning and Caitlyn had just settled back to watch it in peace when there was an ominous growl from outside. She felt her body tense up and then the whole room was lit up for a split second as the lightning flashed through her thin curtains. Caitlyn buried her face into her pillow to hide her screams and for the next half hour she didn't move.

Her eyes were glued to the television screen but she could not see anything more than blurs of colour skimming passed. Her fingers dug harder into the pillowcase with every growl of thunder and her screams grew longer with each flash of light. The pillow muffled the noise but it still echoed in her ears. She could hear rain pounding down hard outside but nobody else seemed to be stirring. Was she the only one who had noticed the storm?

A particularly loud roll of thunder sounded and Caitlyn was reminded of something that happened every time there was a storm at home with her parents. Whatever her age, Caitlyn's Dad would take her to a room with a view of the night sky and they would sit for hours on end watching the storm. It was strangely calming for Caitlyn to watch the thunder and lighting although she was deathly afraid of it.

On remembering this, Caitlyn forced herself to climb out of bed and dragged her petrified form out of her room and down the stairs into the large lounge with its wide window. She barely noticed that she was only wearing shorts and a tank top as she walked along in the dark. Even this familiar building seemed different in the dark.

She finally found the room she was searching for and used the next flash of lighting to locate the sofa and fall onto it. Her eyes scanned the horizon as she waited for the next grumble. It came without warning along with the lighting, loud and bright. Caitlyn screamed instinctively and curled herself up in a ball, wrapping her arms around her legs for protection.

"Caitlyn?" She spun around at the voice only to find the last person she wanted to see right now.

"Eugh. Go away Nate." Another flash and grumble came together and Caitlyn couldn't' help but scream. Nate looked almost concerned as he rushed to her side.

"Cait? What's wrong?" Caitlyn look up at him, a single tear glistening in her eye.

"I have a phobia of thunderstorms, okay? Happy now? You have something else to tease me about!" She glanced out of the window and shuddered. Nate frowned, looking as though he was torn between two choices. When the next scream came from the girl sat next to him, he reached out uncertainly to wrap his arm around her shoulders. Caitlyn gave him an odd glance but didn't have time to say anything before yet another flash lit up the room. It was followed by the thunder less than a second later.

Caitlyn turned and burrowed her head into Nate's chest without realising it. Nate wrapped his other arm around her and held her shaking form.

"It's okay Caity. Don't worry, I'm here."

And strangely enough, that was all Caitlyn needed to stop shaking.

The two sat in silence for a long time, watching and listening as the storm faded into the distance and the rain let up, leaving behind no visible trace of the storm except for the wet ground. It was then that Caitlyn turned to look up at Nate, questions in her eyes.

Instead of answers, Caitlyn found herself on the receiving end of a gentle kiss. Although she had no idea where it was coming from, the kiss felt so perfect that she had to respond. She found her lips moving in time with Nate's as her eyes slid shut. Nate slipped his hands in opposite directions; one of them twisted in the curls hanging from Caitlyn's head and the other sitting gently on her waist. Caitlyn wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him.

"Caitlyn…" he murmured against her lips. Caitlyn pulled away ever so slightly and for a second the pair of them just sat there, shocked at what they were doing. But neither of them attempted to move away anything. "Caitlyn I know this might sound odd but… I think… No I know… I love you Caity."

Caitlyn took a moment to digest that and Nate took her shock for hesitation.

"You don't have to say it back Caity. I know that kiss was out of order and I kind of forced myself on you but it just kind of happened and I've just realised that I love you Caity. I… I know it must be odd but I had to get it out in the open…" Nate pulled away from her and Caitlyn watched in pure shock as he disappeared from the room.

Nate _loved _her? Just hours ago he had been snapping at her and now he was proclaiming his love for her? She shook her head in disbelief; this as probably just another one of his silly tricks.

Or was it? Their tricks and jokes had never gone this far before, they had never kissed or brought feelings into them. He had seemed so sincere when he had told her that he loved her, there wasn't even a hint of laughter in his eyes. Was it possible that he loved her? Caitlyn glanced towards the door he had exited through and felt her heart reach out towards it. She gasped. Was it possible that she loved him back?

She knew the answer to that. Just like Nate it had taken a kiss to realise it but yes she, Caitlyn Gellar, did indeed love Nate Grey.

As soon as she realised this, Caitlyn leapt up and sprinted out of the room. Where would Nate have gone? A tap turned on and off upstairs and she hurried towards the staircase. Nate exited the bathroom as she began the ascent and she managed to catch up with him just outside her own bedroom.

"Nate…" She managed to choke out, her breathing heavy. Nate turned around, shock clearly present on his face. "I… I love you too." Nate grinned broadly and happily accepted her as she closed the gap between them in their second kiss.

This one lasted longer than the first and there was much more passion in it. Now that they had realised and admitted their true feelings, the two were desperate to make up for the four months of chances that they had missed. Nate kissed her hungrily, chewing roughly on her bottom lip and pushing her back firmly against the wall behind her only to find that it was her bedroom door and swung out of the way when it received their combined weights. They stumbled inside and Nate pushed her against the first wall he found. Caitlyn smiled as his tongue darted out to explore her mouth and she jumped slightly, hitching her legs around his waist.

Nate found this too much and spun around, dropping her onto the bed. Just as he was about to join her, Caitlyn held up her hand.

"Nate, just promise me one thing?"

"What?"

"Promise me this isn't a joke. Promise me that you won't get up in the morning and laugh at how gullible I was. Just promise me that."

"I promise you Caity. I promise you, this love is real and I could never do that to you. When you wake up in the morning I will be there for you, I promise."

_xOx_

"Caitlyn!" Mitchie sprinted up the stairs and flew towards her friend's room. "Caitlyn have you seen Nate? He hasn't gone out because the front door is still locked and we can't find him-." She broke off as her eyes absorbed what was sitting right in front of her.

Caitlyn was blinking slowly and yawning, tucked right under the covers. Mitchie could only see her head and face but she did take note of how Caitlyn's pyjamas were lying on the floor at the foot of the bed and how, lying next to Caitlyn was what appeared to be a topless Nate Grey. Or Mitchie might have believed he was topless from seeing his bare chest had she not seen his boxers mixed in with Caitlyn's clothes.

"Mitchie has Caitlyn seen him at all?" Shane called, appearing behind his fiancée seconds later. "Oh…"

Caitlyn slowly lifted her head, looking for the sign of disturbance.

"What-? Shit!" Caitlyn turned scarlet with embarrassment as she saw her best friend and Shane standing in the doorway to her room. Nate woke up at her yell.

"What's wrong?" He grumbled, sitting up. He then repeated Caitlyn's choice of words and looked around the room with wide eyes.

"You know what? Mitchie and I have to go…do something." Shane improvised. Mitchie nodded and pulled the door shut quickly before scurrying off down the stairs.

Inside the room, Nate and Caitlyn were just sitting still, avoiding each others gaze. Neither of them knew how to start the conversation after that less than expected night and awakening.

Caitlyn decided to say something. The last coherent speech she could remember was Nate promising not to hurt her so she didn't think it could be too bad.

"Nate, I-."  
"Look, I'm sorry Caitlyn. Let's just forget it ever happened. Pretend that last night never happened and go back to how we used to be, okay?"

"I-."

"You don't have to say it." Nate clambered out of the bed and pulled on his clothes before leaving without another word. Caitlyn just sat perfectly still.

He had promised. He had promised her that he wouldn't leave in the morning. He had _promised. _Caitlyn felt a tear trickle down her cheek. He had promised.

**Okay, so now it's up to you guys. Do you want me to leave it there, with Caitlyn heartbroken or do you want me to add an extra chapter that may possible resolve things? Your choice, review or PM me and let me know.**

**~Spwarkle**


	2. Chapter 2

**11 reviews, 7 alerts and 5 favourites from one chapter? Thank you guys so much! Because all of the reviewers asked for it, here is the second part of TTIAL.**

Nate couldn't believe what he had done. It was twelve months today since he had walked out on her, twelve months since Caitlyn had moved back to her parent's house.

Yet, a year on he still couldn't stop thinking about her. It was almost as though someone had tattooed her name all over his brain, he just couldn't stop thinking about her. The way she smiled, the way she laughed, the way she had kissed him that one night. That one night that he driven her away. Nate couldn't believe he had don that but at the time it had seemed right.

He had been so sure that she was going to reject him. He had been convinced that as soon as she had a chance to look at the two of them in the daylight she would realise what a mistake she was making and ask him to leave. He had simply said it first and it had only occurred to him that might not be what she wanted after he made it back to his own room.

But it had been far too late by then. Caitlyn was already packing, already on the phone to her parents asking to come home for a few months. Mitchie had come running into his room asking him what the hell he had done, slapped him and then announced that Caitlyn was leaving. That was the last time Nate had seen Caitlyn. A whole year ago, being bundled into the car with his brothers, Mitchie and her suitcase. He couldn't get that image out of his brain, the image of her tearstained face.

But today wasn't supposed to be a day for being sad. No today was Shane and Mitchie's wedding. Nate wasn't that involved if he was honest. Jason was best man, Mitchie had recruited her friends from back home to be her bridesmaids and Nate had been left out. Mitchie was still furious at him for breaking Caitlyn's heart and would quite probably have refused to turn up for her own wedding if she had to put up with Nate as best man.

Nate sighed as he pulled himself out of his bed, his eyes settling on a photo of Caitlyn that he had managed to find in a magazine from almost eighteen months ago. She was laughing happily as Shane and Jason carried her towards the sea. Nate could remember that day. It was just weeks after the girls had moved in when Mitchie had decided they needed a day out. They had driven to a beach and spent the day fooling around like the teenagers they were. Nate had wound up Caitlyn but Shane and Jason had been the ones that messed around with the girls the most, earning the pictures from the press.

But he couldn't look at the picture without remembering her as sad as she had been on that day a year ago. She had looked so completely broken, so alone; it had torn Nate's heart. And all because he had misunderstood her hesitant sentence. Nate wasn't surprised that she was upset though. She had lost her virginity to him, she had given him everything and then he had left her.

Nate groaned and shook his head, trying to at least dim the thoughts that plagued him every day. He regretted that split seconds decision more than anything else in his life. He could have been waking up with Caitlyn in his arms right now, he could have spent the whole year with her but he had ruined it. He _could _have watched her walk down the aisle at the wedding today, leading in her best friend.

That was a thought that hadn't occurred to Nate before. Would she really miss her best friends wedding day? Yes, she probably would if it meant she could avoid him. He sighed and opened his wardrobe, grabbing the suit that had been hanging up for weeks.

"Nate are you awake?" It was Mitchie. She was a strong believer in the tradition that the bride and groom shouldn't see each other for two days before the wedding and Shane had kindly offered to stay at a hotel for the past two nights. Mitchie had been here with her six friends and Nate. Jason had gone with Shane to the bachelor party but Nate hadn't been invited because Shane was still angry at him for hurting Caitlyn.

"Yeah, I'm up." He informed Mitchie. She hurried off down the hall without another word. Nate just sighed before changing into his suit. It was the plainest suit he had been able to find; white suit, black tie, black waistcoat, black trousers and polished black shoes. He was only going to the wedding because it was his brother's. It wasn't as if anybody particularly wanted him there. Even his parents had admitted they were disappointed in him.

It was almost as though Nate had missed something. Whenever anybody spoke about Caitlyn, especially recently, they would sneer at him and state that he had ruined her life. He didn't quite understand. Had Caitlyn really loved him that much after one night that she would never recover? Surely she would find love again, she was only eighteen after all, nineteen now. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was some huge secret everybody was hiding from him. Had she gone off to become a nun or something?

Trying to clear his mind of the thoughts yet again, Nate left his room and made his way to the kitchen which was, unfortunately, full of giggling girls.

He knew that Mitchie truly loved Shane, which was obvious from just one glance at her when somebody spoke his name. He could tell however that one or two of her friends had only agreed to be her bridesmaids so that they could meet Connect 3. One of these girls was Naomi.

Naomi was your typical adorable girl. She had long black hair and wide brown eyes, a slim figure and was probably a nice girl but Nate couldn't bring himself to look at her as more than an annoying teenage girl who wanted to date him for publicity.

"Nate!" She practically screamed as he entered the room, leaping towards him. Naomi was only seventeen, two years younger than Caitlyn, but she still reminded him of her. Probably because they had spent so much time annoying each other.

"Hey Naomi." He greeted. Naomi blushed and giggled as she latched onto his arm. "Please let go Naomi. I don't like you in that way at all." Naomi looked slightly offended.

"Who do you like then?" She loosened her grip on his arm just enough to allow the blood to his fingertips again.

"I don't like her, I love her and her name is Cai-."

"If you finish that sentence with Caitlyn you will wish you were never born." Mitchie warned him sharply as she entered the room. Nate looked up to see pure hatred burning in his soon-to-be-sister-in-laws eyes. He looked away before the look could burn through him like he had allowed almost every other day for the past year.

"Mitch, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt her."

"Yet you broke the only promise you had ever made her just hours after you made it. You broke her heart, Nate, and I don't think it's ever going to be fixed. If I had it my way, you wouldn't still be living here, yet alone coming to my wedding but you are Shane's brother and as much as I hate to admit it Connect 3 wouldn't work without you. You ruined Caitlyn, she's not herself any more and she never will be." And with that cutting speech, Mitchie left the room again, her friends following behind. Naomi threw a seductive look in Nate's direction but he ignored it, dropping onto a stool and burying his head in his hands atop the marble counter.

He wanted, so much, to have Caitlyn back. One night was more than enough for him to tell that she was the _one. _Not just a girl who he liked for a while but the one he wanted to spend his life with. The problem was that he hadn't realised this until after he had ruined it. He had just assumed that Caitlyn was going to reject him and turn him away, destroy his new found love and rip his heart to shreds so he had saved her the embarrassment and done it for her before he had thought about any other option.

For the next hour Nate barely made the effort to move. He dragged himself up to the room that had once been Caitlyn's which still remained exactly the same as it had the day Mitchie had come in and removed all of Caitlyn's personal items to send to her. The bedding still lay in the mess it had been since the morning that Nate had clambered out and left. Nobody had come in here at all. Everyone felt sad when they entered the room and Nate felt tremendously guilty when he remembered how he had driven the love of his life away.

Nate sat still on the middle of her bed, thinking back to that night a year ago. He could remember every detail with perfect clarity and he hoped that Caitlyn could to. Even if she regretted it, which Nate was sure she did, he hoped that she could remember it. Both of them had experienced their first time with each other and he was certain that however many years passed he would never be able to shake that night from his memory.

"Nate? Mitchie said she wants you to leave so you don't see her." It was one of Mitchie's friends, thankfully not Naomi, standing in the doorway with her pale green dress just visible under the fluffy white dressing gown she was holding over it.

"Thanks…"

"Carly."

"Thanks Carly." Nate smiled sadly at her as he left the room, trudging down the stairs and grabbing his car keys off of the table. He didn't quite understand why the girls wanted him to leave just yet; there were still a good four hours until the wedding, but he wasn't going to argue with Mitchie.

He managed to drive out of the house without running over any of the expectant paparazzi and was at the venue in less than half an hour.

Mitchie and Shane had chosen to get married in a converted barn. From the outside it appeared to be a large stone building with a stain glass window but from the inside, as Nate was now discovering, the barn was beautiful.

The floor was tiled smoothly and evenly with dark grey stones. One half of the room was filled with white chairs sitting in rows, over a hundred material decked seats positioned neatly across the room. The aisle down the centre was wide and the floor underneath was coated in a thick carpet the same shade of green as the bridesmaid's dresses. The other half of the room was a wide, open space that was accompanied by the huge speakers needed for a DJ. The dance floor.

Nate stood watching for a moment until he heard a shout from behind him.

"Nate? What're you doing here?" It was Shane and Jason although the latter was dragging somewhat behind watching a bird on the roof.

"I dunno, the girls kicked me out and I didn't know where else to go."

"They kicked you out? Why?"

"Mitchie was pissed at me for claiming that I loved Caitlyn," Shane and Jason narrowed their eyes ever so slightly, an act which Nate chose to ignore. "Then they were getting ready so I guess they didn't want me seeing them." This time Shane and Jason shared a very meaningful look and Nate guessed there was more to his leaving then he had first assumed.

For a moment, the three brothers stood in silence, all watching each other. Shane finally sighed ad walked up to his younger brother, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Nate do you know why you're still living with us? Do you know why you were invited today?"

"Because I'm your brother?" Nate made the fact sound like a question, a question to which Shane shook his head.  
"No. When you hurt Caitlyn you really hurt her. She was our little sister and you ruined her. The only reason you still live in our house is because she told us not to kick you out. When we drove her to the airport and she went home I was literally holding my phone to call you and tell you to get out but she stopped me. Little Caitlyn Gellar told me not to throw you out, said that I would regret it later on." Shane paused momentarily. "I'm not quite sure when she meant because I don't think I would have regretted it by now but then again maybe I would. Whatever though, you're only here today because she asked us to pretend _it _had never happened. It was never going to happen but we would be well and truly breaking our promise if we didn't invite you to our wedding. The only reason you're here is because of Caitlyn, do _not _forget that." Nate raised an eyebrow at his brother's unexpected explanation and then shrugged, turning away.

Yet again, he had been reminded of Caitlyn. He hadn't deliberately hurt her, he would never do that. He had just assumed that she wanted them to forget about that night. After he had realised, Nate had sworn never to assume anything again but by that point it was too late. Caitlyn had already gone and everybody he knew was convinced that he had played her.

Shane and Jason watched their brother walk into the distance and felt slightly guilty. For the first few months they had honestly believed that he had wound up Caitlyn with one of his huge pranks. But after twelve weeks of watching him mope around the idea that Caitlyn was gone they did begin to wonder. Even Mitchie had been worried by the end of the fifth month, when Nate had still not shown any enthusiasm for anything. Not that any of them had shown it. Whether he had truly loved her or not, Nate had broken Caitlyn's heart.

Behind the old barn Nate found a small river, little more than a trickle of water running across the grass. He dropped down next to it, staring lifelessly at the stream. It was the sort of stream that seemed to go on forever; the type of stream that he knew would keep flowing no matter what happened to it. It was persistent, like his feelings for Caitlyn. The difference was that the river could keep going whereas his undying love for Caitlyn had nowhere to go. It was just building up inside of him; the pressure was almost suffocating him.

Nate shook his head very gently as he attempted to clear his thoughts, knowing before he even did so that it was fruitless. The very idea of trying to clear his head of Caitlyn was a stupid one because he would never forget her. As long as he lived, whatever happened to him, Nate would never be able to forget the girl who he had fallen in love with.

Without realising it, Nate had begun to wander back to the front of the barn. He had been aware of the sound of people for over an hour now but the noises had barely registered with his brain as he sat by his little stream. Somehow his feet had picked him up and carried him back around here.

There were quite a few people around now. Nate could see his own parents talking to Mitchie's by the entrance to the barn; he could see a mixture of his own cousins and children he didn't know stumbling around the lawn, five year olds ruining their posh clothes. There were friends of Shane's, friend's of both families and a lot of people he had never seen before. Everyone was dressed up, even his own mother was wearing a dress, something he had never seen.

As he stood and watched all of the people who were so happy he felt his slight smile ebb away. They were all here to see Shane and Mitchie on the happiest day of their lives as he, Nate, was doomed to live alone for the rest of his life. All of the carefree guests were here with no idea of what was hurting him so deep inside, they were just excited to see Shane and Mitchie finally get married.

"Nate!" He looked up from where he had been resolutely staring at his feet for several minutes to see Jason walking towards him with an unfamiliar woman.

"Hey Jase." He said in a monotone.

"Nate, this is Mrs Gellar," Nate felt his eyes widen and his attention fell on the woman who he could now see had passed on her looks to Caitlyn. They had the same heart shaped face, the same wild hair. "Mrs Gellar, this is Nate."

Nate could almost feel the anger pouring out of the woman. She was watching him closely, scrutinising every single move he made and he knew it. Not wanting to sink any lower in her view than he already apparently had, Nate held out his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs Gellar." She shook his hand but pursed her lips.

"I can't say that the feeling is mutual after what happened last year." Nate winced.

"I am truly sorry for that Mrs Gellar." He bit his lip momentarily before continuing. "Did you bring… did you bring…?" He couldn't bring himself to say her name but Mrs Gellar understood.

"No. I didn't bring her. If I had, you would see her around somewhere." Nate sighed, turning away.

"I've got to go…" He muttered, wandering slowly into the crowds with his hands in his pockets. Something small collided with his right leg and he looked down to see his five year old cousin.

"Hey Ruby!" He greeted her, bending down to pick her up. Ruby was small for a five year old and weighed next to nothing. She had grown since they had last met but not by much.

"Nate!" She said happily. Nate laughed at her enthusiasm and then smiled provokingly.

"Would you like to meet a friend of mine?" He asked her, tucking her hair behind her ear where it had fallen across her face.

"Yes please. What's their name?"

"_His _name is Mr Tickle." Ruby screamed and began to wriggle, laughing all the same. Nate laughed softly and reached to tickle her stomach. A few people nearby turned to watch the teenage pop star play with the convulsing girl in his arms.

"Nate stop it! Put me down!" Ruby kicked Nate's side with as much strength as she could muster and Nate pretended to flinch.

"Okay, I'll put you down!" He gently placed the little girl back on the floor and she immediately ran to join the other playing children. Nate watched them play with a feeling of regret.

Had he have stayed with Caitlyn that morning, they might have had a future, possibly been married and had their own children. But Nate knew he would never fall in love again and knew that the playing children on the grass would always belong to someone else; Mitchie and Shane, strangers off of the street, his family, his friends. Nate would never know the joy of being a father himself because he had ruined his chance with his one love.

"Can I have your attention please?" Silence fell across the guests as they turned to see Jason balanced precariously on a chair by the entrance to the barn. "Okay then, we're ready for you to come in now, please find a seat and make yourselves comfortable."

Nate waited for a few minutes as each and every one of the guests dived for the doorway. They all wanted good seats so that they could see the bride and groom as they said their vows. Nate, however, wasn't even wanted at the wedding, yet alone sat in one of the seats with a preciously good view, so he hesitated, allowing the best seats to be taken before he entered the barn and slid into a seat at the very back, right by the door.

The front row to Nate's right was full of Shane and Mitchie's closest relatives; their parents and Jason. Nate couldn't see the front row on his side but assumed it would be reserved for the bridesmaids. From where he was sat Nate could barely see the front across the sea of heads but he wasn't complaining. Anything that stopped him from being reminded of what could have happened in his future had he stuck with Caitlyn was a bonus as far as he was concerned.

The hundred or so guests sat talking for a good half an hour. Nate sat in silence, dwelling on the same thoughts that he had been dwelling on for the past year. Three of the four girls sat on the row with him were repeatedly whispering and watching him. Nate made a point of not looking at any of them. Was it his imagination or were all of Mitchie's friends giggling, gossiping girls? He glanced at the girls and recognised one of them as his own cousin, who had evidently made friends with these three girls before they came inside.

"Hey Megan…" He called along the row, waving. The three girls' jaws dropped.

"You know Nate Grey?" One of them asked in a carrying whisper.

"He's my cousin!" The sixteen year old explained. "Of course I know him!" The three girls all crowded around Megan and began to talk over the top of one and other. Nate looked away, satisfied that he had distracted them.

His eyes travelled the guests again and he spotted Mrs Gellar sat in the third row, chatting urgently on her phone and throwing him furtive glances until she noticed that he was watching her. Nate deduced that she was talking to Caitlyn.

Jason finally jogged passed, up the aisle and to the front. This was the sign for everybody to stop their chattering and crick their necks trying to be the first to spot Mitchie coming through the door. Nate just turned on his seat, towards the aisle, and waited as the music began.

The music wasn't a traditional wedding march; it was a gentle, piano version of _Gotta Find You_, the song which had brought Mitchie and Shane together.

Mitchie finally came through the door, stepping slowly and in time to the music. She truly was beautiful; in her white dress she almost seemed to be glowing. The material hugged her figure and her face was lit up with a wide smile. Nate barely noticed her beauty, nobody would ever look pretty to him after Caitlyn.

Everybody stood up and Nate was close enough that he could see Mitchie's eyes search the crowd for Shane and how her smile somehow grew when she saw him standing in his suit at the front. Nate glanced behind her at the seven bridesmaids and then towards his brother at the front before he did a double take.

There had only been six bridesmaids staying in his house these past two days.

Hands trembling slightly he spun around to look at the bridesmaids again, taking in their perfectly fitted dresses and searching from the back, where he was sure they would have hidden her from him. Doting Naomi, smart Jane, lazy Sophie, gothic Laura, hyper Emily, pretty Olivia; the six girls he had met just days before were walking in pairs, holding flowering bouquets. His eyes flickered to the seventh girl, the girl walking on her own directly behind Mitchie and his breath caught in his throat.

Caitlyn.

There she was, even more beautiful than before with her hair and makeup done by professionals, her face set in a smile. Nate watched her make eye contact with almost everybody in the room. Except him. She never once glanced at him as she walked along, obviously avoiding eye contact. Nate felt his heart ache on sight of her and was tempted to leap up when he felt a hand on his arm.

"Don't!" He recognised Megan's voice in his ear and a small part of his brain was asking when she had moved to be next to him but he barely paid attention. Megan obviously knew more than he had thought because she carried on talking once Caitlyn had passed. "She wouldn't have come if she wasn't going to talk to you Nate, just wait until the ceremony is over."

Even in his desperate state Nate recognised the sense in his cousins tone and he managed to force a small smile as Naomi passed by, marking the end of the train of bridesmaids.

Awful as it was, Nate paid no attention to the ceremony. As the women blubbered and sighed dreamily at the beauty that was Mitchie, Nate only had eyes for one girl. Caitlyn sat at the front, her back tense, as though she could feel Nate's gaze on her. Nate didn't know that the ceremony was over until everybody stood up and began to cheer and clap.

Shane and Mitchie walked down the aisle arm in arm, the love between them almost visible. Behind them followed the seven girls in their green dresses. Six of them looked envious of Shane and Mitchie, one of them looked like she was about to cry and it definitely wasn't from joy at seeing her best friend happily married.

As soon as the nine were out of the doors, Nate leapt out of his chair. He was outside before most of the guests had even taken a step, looking around desperately for the girl he had missed all this time.

He found her standing and talking to Mitchie, her fingers playing nervously with the bouquet in her hands. Both of the girls seemed far more excited by the wedding than he had ever seen them before, he could see them talking frantically over the top of each other; Caitlyn standing and fidgeting as Mitchie stood wrapped in Shane's arms.

Nate ran toward them, past five chatting girls, his eyes never leaving Caitlyn's back. He was just a few steps away from her when he felt a hand grab his.

"Nate!"

"Naomi…" Nate growled, attempting to pull away his hand. Naomi's manicured nails dug into his wrist.  
"Wait up Nate. This is a wedding." Nate glanced frantically at the steady stream of people coming out of the building. None of them seemed to notice his problem, nobody came running to help. "People get married at a wedding and it's all about love. Why not celebrate ours?"

"What?"

"I know you feel for me, you don't have to hide it any more."

Nate almost choked. "Get off of me Naomi."

"Nate, I know it. Lets use tonight for a fresh start."

"Naomi!" But Naomi seemed oblivious to how much Nate wanted to thump her right there and then, leaning closer and closer, taking his other hand and placing them both on her waist, holding them there as she kissed him.

Nate tried to push her off but she was digging her nails into his wrists, manoeuvring her lips against his and crushing their bodies together. Nate struggled against her grip, stepping backwards and jerking his hands up sharply. Naomi looked at him with wide eyes.

"You see, I told you-."

"Shut up Naomi!"

Nate span around to face Caitlyn and a part of him hoped that she hadn't seen or that she at least wouldn't have cared, just so he didn't have to feel his heart break all over again when he turned to see her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Caitlyn…" He whispered gently. Caitlyn shook her head, stepping backwards. "That wasn't what it looked like." Caitlyn continued to back away and Nate could feel the eyes of every one of the guests on either him, Caitlyn or Naomi. Nate walked slowly towards Caitlyn but she turned away and disappeared into the building today. "Caity!" Nate yelled.

"I'll go." Mitchie offered, running forwards before Nate could answer.

The next ten minutes passed in awkward silence for Nate. Naomi hovered around behind him but didn't dare to approach due to the glares she was receiving from various people. Nate just stood and waited for any sign that Mitchie was coming out.

When she finally appeared, Mitchie smiled to her family and friends and beckoned everybody inside. Nate followed behind, looking around for his frizzy haired love.

Inside, the barn had been transformed. The chairs had been moved and spaced out around a dozen round tables by some staff that had conveniently disappeared again. Nate ate at the table farthest from the front, only moving to eat and look for Caitlyn but he couldn't locate her anywhere. There was an empty seat at the front table that the girls on his table were saying was for the maid of honour but Caitlyn never appeared.

There was an unfamiliar man standing by the speakers on the dance floor by the time they had finished, headphones around his neck and fingers already fiddling on his laptop. People cheered as Mitchie and Shane stepped onto the dance floor and Nate stood at the back of the crowd, his eyes still searching as the music started.

Shane and Mitchie danced slowly to whatever track they had chosen; Nate honestly didn't notice the tune. When it ended more people spaced out across the wooden floor to join a much livelier dance. Nate stepped cautiously around the edge of the floor, careful not to stand on the fingers of any of the younger children who were falling over.

He paused when he reached a single table that was covered in bowls of snacks; crisps, sweets and cocktail sausages. Nate slowly reached to take a cocktail stick and slid the end into his mouth, leaning backwards against the table, deep in thought.

"Hey Nate…" He snapped his head up to see a familiar, somewhat distraught, Caitlyn Gellar standing by him.

"Caitlyn…" He couldn't sop the smile that broke across his face. Caitlyn gave a small laugh and then looked down at her feet. Nate took a deep breath and began the apology he had run over so many times in his head. "I am _so _sorry Caity. You have no idea… I thought you were going to reject me, I assumed you were going to ask me to leave. I just didn't want to deal with the heartbreak so I ended things before you could. I am so sorry; you have no idea how sorry I am. I never wanted things between us to end at all, Caity, yet alone in that way. I know I broke the only promise I have ever made you but I thought I was doing what you wanted Caitlyn. I have been a shadow of myself this past year and you have no idea how felt I bad-."

"How felt I bad?" Caitlyn cut him off with a laugh and he looked into her eyes, seeing that more than a little bit of the pain had gone from them. Caitlyn's tone sobered slightly and she reached to tale his hand. "Did you really think I was going to reject you? I hesitated because I didn't know what to say after the best night of my life. It's been a year, Nate, and I honestly don't know how I have managed to go that long without seeing you. That's why I came today. I could say it was because I wouldn't miss my best friend's wedding for anything but honestly, I came her because I wanted to see you again. When I saw Naomi kissing you I was heartbroken until I remember that Mitchie had warned me. She threw you out of the house this morning so that I could arrive and get ready and the first thing she said to me was to ignore Naomi." Caitlyn stepped forwards, looking Nate firmly in the eyes. "I will accept you apology Nate, but only if you can accept mine."

"Of course I forgive you Caitlyn. You don't have anything to apologise for, you only believed what your eyes were telling you, both times, and that was exactly what you should have done. If you can't trust what you see, what can you trust?"

"This," Caitlyn answered his rhetorical question by leaning forwards to kiss him soundly on the lips and Nate couldn't help but kiss her back, smiling wider than he ever had before.

If they had thought their reunion had gone unnoticed they would have been wrong. Across the dance floor, Shane and Mitchie were holding tightly on to each other watching the couple by the buffet. Megan and her three new friends were dancing nearby and Shane aught his cousin's attention before gesturing to his younger brother. Megan squealed and pointed Mitchie's friends to the scene across the room.

When Nate and Caitlyn finally broke apart, they turned across the silent room to find every pair of eyes focused on the two of them. Caitlyn blushed but still held Nate's hand tightly; Nate just rubbed his thumb soothingly on the back of her hand. The spectators took the hint and turned away again, back to watching the newly weds dance. Nate glanced at the girl next to him.

"Caitlyn?"

"Mhmm?"

"Will you be my girlfriend?" Caitlyn gasped and turned to him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Yes, yes! Of course I will Nate!" Nate hugged her victoriously until she placed her feet on the floor.

"Come on, we've got a wedding to enjoy."

**Here we are, then end of my two shot. Did you like it? I had fun writing this, it's just the way it ends I'm not to happy about but I wanted it to end with them getting together, not drag on throughout their entire lives and explain what happens in the future so yeah, I ended it with that sentence. **

**I would love to sit here and type about my current pet – he's a Unicorn and his name is Frank Lee, he is bright green and about the height of my knee - but is eleven at night and I have to go to sleep… Happy New Year!**

**~Spwarkle**


	3. Indie CR Awards

**Okay, so I know I finished this ages and ages ago, but somebody (I don't know who) has nominated this for the Indie CR Awards! Thank you to whoever nominated this story, it makes me really, really happy to know somebody still remembers this oneshot. **

** So I was wondering if you could vote for it, if you still like it after all this time? The link is below and on my profile:**

ht tp:/ /bit .ly /mHcVmX

**Thank you to everyone who nominated and anybody who votes! You have until July 1st!**

****Spwarkle****


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